Method for creating smoked foods and beverages

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a method and system for making smoke beverages and foods using multiple condensation stages.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to provisional U.S. PatentApplication No. 62/346,478 as filed Jun. 6, 2016.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND ON THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to food products. Moreparticularly, the present invention is a method for created smoked foodsand beverages.

2. Description of Background and Relevant Information

Smoked foods have long been a staple in diets of many cultures. However,traditional smoking can be a long process that can be difficult toregulate for consistency, and can impart some less desirable flavorsfrom smoke that has not undergone multiple stages of condensation priorto reaching the food.

What is desired, though, is a system that can impart very bold smokyflavors without any of the undesirable flavors that can be imparted tothe food or beverage using traditional smoking methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, which willbecome more apparent as the description proceeds, are described in thefollowing detailed description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a particular embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS

In reference to the drawings, similar reference characters denotesimilar elements throughout all the drawings. The following is a list ofthe reference characters and associated element:

-   -   1 Air pump    -   2 Air line    -   3 Air pipe    -   4 Spring or perforated pipe    -   5 Air intake vents    -   6 Wood Pellets    -   7 Container    -   8 Outward Pipe    -   9 Drain    -   10. Space for cooling means    -   11. Outer Pot    -   12. Holder    -   13. Outward Pipe End    -   14. Screen

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a multi-stage smoke condenser and capturedevice for producing smoked foods and beverages. The device is comprisedof a means for generating smoke and a holder directly connected to themeans for generating smoke. The holder is a closed system and includes afirst chamber within the holder for condensation of some of the smokeentering the holder, and a second chamber for absorption ofpre-condensed smoke on a flavor carrier, where the flavor carrier iswood chips, zeolite (microporous, alumnosilicate minerals commonly usedas commercial adsorbents and catalysts), food, or a combination there.

In an exemplary embodiment, the multi-stage device may also include apipe between the means for generating smoke and the holder. A coolingmeans, such as a glycol line, ice, cold water, etc. may be positioned tointeract with the pipe and thereby bring down the temperature inside thepipe.

And the multi-stage device may also have a means for removingcondensation from a pipe between the means for generating smoke and theholder. Such a means for removing condensation may be a drain, a valve,or a trap.

FIG. 1 provides an exemplary embodiment of a specific variation on thepresent invention.

The device includes a container in which wood pellets are placed. Thecontainer has air intake vents at the bottom portion of the container.Within the container itself there may be a spring or perforated pipethat allows eventual smoke to rise up towards the top of the container.

Towards the top of the container there is an air line coming into thecontainer via an inlet. The inlet and air line may connect to an airpipe in the top region of the container. The air pipe is connected to anair pump that blows air into the container via the inlet and into theair pipe, when present. The option air pipe preferably does not extendall the way across the container.

Preferably opposite the inlet, but in the upper portion of the containernonetheless, is an outlet. It is preferred that the air pipe, whenpresent be directed towards the outlet but with open space between theend of the air pipe and the outlet.

Wood pellets or other combustibles may be placed within the container.The wood pellets are lit through air intake vents at the bottom of thecontainer. As the wood pellets burn, the smoke is directed upwardtowards the top of the container where the air pumped in through the airline directs the smoke towards the outlet of the container.

The outlet of the container is connected to an outward pipe that thenconnects to the bottom side of an outer pot. It is preferred that theouter pot have a lid or other similar means of enclosing the contents ofthe outer pot.

Thus far, the description of FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary means forgenerating smoke.

The outward pipe may be of varying lengths and shapes based on the typeof smoke that one wishes to capture. For the present invention'sexamples, it has thus far been found that having the outward pipe have alength at least equal to or greater than 1.5 times the height of thecontainer.

The outward pipe may have a drain or other means for removingcondensation at a distance closer to the container than the outer pot,and in this exemplary embodiment within a distance of 10% to 50% of theentire length of the outward pipe. When open, the drain is an outlet foroils and condensation within the outward pipe to be removed withoutspilling back into the container and putting out the burning woodpellets. The drain also helps keep the outward pipe unclogged.

After the outer pot, the outward pipe connects into a holder positionedwithin the outer pot. Like the outer pot, the holder preferably has alid or other similar means of enclosing the contents of the holder.

There is a hole at the bottom of the holder through which the outer pipeis connected. Above the hole there is a liquid and gas permeable screenthat spans the cross-sectional area of the holder. And in thisillustrative exemplary embodiment, the screen is located above thebottom of the holder at a distance of at least 10% of the entire heightof the inside of the holder.

The holder described has two chambers separated by the screen. Thismerely one of multiple ways to illustrate this invention, however.

Wood pellets or other combustibles are placed within the container andlit via the air intake vents. As the pellets burn, the resulting smokedrifts towards the top of the container and is directed out through theoutlet and into the outward pipe. The air being fed into the containerfrom the air pump assists in directing the smoke in this direction.

The smoke starts to condense within the outward pipe as the outward pipeis cooler than the container. Some of the condensation from the smoke inthe outward pipe may be removed via the drain.

The smoke that doesn't condense within the outward pipe continues upwardinto the holder. The space between the inside of the outer pot and theoutside of the holder includes a cooling means in the form of ice,water, cooled air, glycol line, or an ice bath. In a preferredembodiment, the cooling means is ice or an ice bath.

Wood chips, for example, are placed within the holder and above thescreen. As the smoke enters the holder and through the screen, the smokemay be imparted to the flavor carrier, here as wood chips. Smoke thatcondenses within the holder may flow to the bottom of the holder and/orback down the outer pipe. And any condensation may also collect underthe screen in the holder.

The smoke flavor which then can be imparted to beverages or foodsdirectly, or indirectly by way of using the flavor carrier such as woodchips or zeolite, for example, which are saturated with clean smokewhich can the extracted through proprietary and known methods.

In an alternative method, the chips in the holder are replaced with aparticular food or beverage to directly absorb the smoke.

One of the uses of the wood chips with the imparted smoke is for use inthe distilled spirits industry in order to impart a smokey flavor to aspirit such as whiskey, bourbon, rum, etc. The wood chips with theimparted smoke are introduced to the distilled spirit in methods knownto those of ordinary skill in the art.

Embodiment 1

A distilled spirit, a rum, was made using wood chips with smoke impartedto the wood chips by a commercially known device where the smoke fromwhat would be similar to the present container is fed directly into anholder surrounded by ice and an outer pot.

Embodiment 2

A second distilled spirit, a rum, was made using wood chips in a deviceaccording to the presently claimed invention.

The rum of EMBODIMENT 1 and that of EMBODIMENT 2 were tested in a pairedcomparison blind test. It was tested with a random sample of 21 to 39year old Americans.

After the testing, it was found that the rum of EMBODIMENT 1 generated apurchase intent sure of 4.6 on a 0 to 10 scale, where 0 is “definitelynot buy” and 10 is “definitely would buy.” On the same scale, the rum ofEMBODIMENT 2 generated a purchase intent of 6.1.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specificembodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives,modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in theart. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as setforth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Variouschanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1: A multi-stage smoke condenser and capture device, the device beingcomprised of: a means for generating smoke; a holder directly connectedto the means for generating smoke, wherein the holder is a closed systemand includes a first chamber within the holder for condensation of someof the smoke entering the holder, and a second chamber for absorption ofpre-condensed smoke on a flavor carrier. 2: The multi-stage deviceaccording to claim 9 further comprising a cooling means for decreasingthe overall temperature of the holder. 3: The multi-stage deviceaccording to claim 1 further comprising a cooling means in a pipebetween the means for generating smoke and the holder. 4: Themulti-stage device according to claim 1 further comprising a means forremoving condensation from a pipe between the means for generating smokeand the holder. 5: The multi-stage device according to claim 4, whereinthe means for removing condensation may be a drain, a valve, or a trap.6: The multi-stage device according to claim 1, wherein the flavorcarrier is wood chips, zeolite, or food. 7: A method for imparting smokeflavor to a flavor carrier, the method being comprised of the steps of:generating smoke in a closed system; directing the generated smoke intoa holder, wherein the holder is a closed system and includes a firstchamber within the holder for condensation of some of the smoke enteringthe holder, and a second chamber for absorption of pre-condensed smokeon a flavor carrier. 8: The method according to claim 7, furthercomprising cooling the overall temperature of the holder. 9: The methodaccording to claim 7, further comprising cooling a pipe that connectswhere the smoke is generated and the holder. 10: The method according toclaim 7, further comprising removing condensation from a pipe thatconnects where the smoke is generated and the holder. 11: The methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the condensation is removed via a drain,valve, or trap. 12: The method according to claim 7, where in the flavorcarrier is at least one of wood chips, zeolite, and food. 13: The methodaccording to claim 12, wherein the flavor carrier is wood chips that aresubsequently used to provide smoke flavor to distilled spirits. 14.-21.(canceled)